Answered Prayer: Go and Sin No More

It never fails to humble me that my Father God listens to my meager prayers and He is so Faithful to answer them! This verse was huge to me the last few years:

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

A recent request of mine was regarding a statement I read in the Betrothal book by Michael Pearl. "We insulated our children from within, and therefore, as they got older, did not need to be insulated so well from without." This resonated with me, stirring my spirit to pray that God would show and enable me to do this with my children, because, as is so evident in our world today, sheltered children are sometimes more at risk than non-sheltered ones.

The answer came in response to a series of conversations with different people about why individuals who claim Christianity will continue to walk in sin. How can I "convince" my brothers and sisters that what they are doing is not ok? The answer is that the "convincing" is not my responsibility. My responsibility is to address the sin in love and call them to account for their walk (and of course to be open to the same in my life.) It is the Spirit's job to do the "convincing," reminding them of the truth of God's Word and His Law. In regards to my children, my job is to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord, and the complete knowledge of the Truth. To address sin as sin, and teach them to listen and obey the Word. To make sure they understand that while Christ paid for our every sin, sin itself is not without consequences.

I know this seems so basic (although you wouldn't know it, looking at many "Christians" today), but to have a light shine on what I need to focus on in raising my girls NOW and not later is a treasured blessing. And I Love that this is from Him! The questioning I do every day of my parenting abilities does not apply to lessons from the Father! What a relief!

Father God, thank you for Your Faithfulness to Guide and Teach us.